Sunday School Teacher's Guide - this is just one possible lesson plan. It seems that at this time Nineveh had a sea-oriented religious system and sea-themed Gods. 18 Overnight, Jehovah caused a bottle-gourd plant to sprout up. You could really see the clear intent of Jonah here that he really didnt want to do the job he was called to do. Jonah repented while in the belly of a fish; God heard his voice and saved him. it helps to pay the bills and keeps this website running. Did this make Jonah happy? Melissa is a passionate minister, speaker and an ongoing learner of the Bible. I think not. Even if Jonah obeyed God from the start, it would still have been easier to send an angel or to appear as a pillar of cloud. If they listened to God's warningif they repented then God might spare them, and they would remain a looming threat. I read recently that the atonement doesnt cover all sins such as murder which requires a blood sacrifice. The lesson for us is that God will not convince us of the matters of faith through powerful and Hollywood-like public manifestations of God's greatness. In the same way, God is not quitting on us. He sovereignly orchestrates creation by appointing it to do his will. The Book of Jonah offers valuable lessons in regards to this fear and shows us how we can become the prophets we are called to be. It only stopped when Jonah was thrown overboard (see Jonah 1:15). In fact, the narrator uses the same grammatical structure as in Jonah 4:1. People are important to God. As he sank deeper and deeper into the sea, he prayed to Jehovah. God is trying to teach Jonah that God can bless whoever He wishes, whenever He wishes. He observed the change in those people and saw that the punishment he had intended to bring on them would no longer be fitting. Only Jehovah can read what lies within the human heart. This is why its great to do a Bible study on these types of books in the Bible. Ninevah was a city in Assyria. In this post, let us take a deeper look at the Book of Jonah and its many lessons it can teach us about Gods mercy and forgiveness and the role we need to play in doing his work. You will see how this Jonah Bible study has changed the way I look at obedience and repentance. He has composed and performed original music for five albums. So, grab your Bible and let's go on an adventure in God's Word! Jonah was the son of Amittai, who came from Gath-hepher in Zebulun (called Gittah-hepher in Joshua 19:10-13 ). So, please feel free to drop me a comment or take a look at my similar posts in my Christian Faith Articles page! This was at least part of the reason why Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh - he was afraid they would repent, when all along he wanted God to judge the Assyrian capital. 10,11. The lesson that God loves us while we are living in rebellion is of great hope to our nation today. For instance, Jehovah had shown him mercy, saving him from drowning, holding back punishment for his rebellion, and giving him a second chance to carry out this assignment. He could be preaching, but his heart wasnt into it. Jesus, however, experienced the full wrath of God, which he endured willingly for our sakes. PRIVACY POLICY Greek historian Herodotus noted that the ancient Persians grieved over the death of a popular general by including their livestock in the customs of mourning. Six Signs We Need to Return to God, Jonah 1. Jonah stays 3 days inside the whale and Jonah cried out to God. - Dylan. 12,13. Like us, Jonah initially responds to his prophetic call with fear. Jonah Goes to Nineveh Main Point: We should share God's grace with others. Jonah knew what the Assyrians were capable of doing. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. Jonah would not weep over a people who came close to destruction, but "Jesus, the true prophet, did.". TIMELINE: Jonah is a prophet during the reign of King Jeroboam II. Though we run away from Him, He patiently waits for us. If you are a follower of Jesus, God has given you instructions to take the message of the Good News to others ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Rather Jonah became a reluctant prophet because he knew God's grace would overwhelm Israel's enemy. If God's purpose was merely to save Nineveh, He could do it far more effectively and efficiently without Jonah. Whether Jonah liked what God commanded, understood the reason for what God commanded or wanted something different than what God commanded made no difference whatsoever. We could be studying the word of God, but our hearts are not into it. 21 Do you see the depth of Jehovahs object lesson? But those things need to bow down to Gods ways. BIBLEARENA.ORG presents the sacred teachings of the Bible to enhance spiritual growth. What can we learn from Jonahs attitude toward the repentance of the Ninevites? Im having trouble understanding the story. That is where the Gourd and the Worm come in. Read More, 3 Important Ways to Pray for Your Future Husband. Mark Wahlberg gives lessons on fasting during Lent, Free Church of Scotland condemns 'anti-Christian intolerance' towards Kate Forbes, Ian Paul on why he won't leave the Church of England despite its support for gay blessings, How becoming a refugee host forged a friendship for life, Rate of church closures is higher in low-income neighbourhoods, 'We never stopped praying,' says kidnap for ransom survivor, Medieval Christian women voices that we need to hear. God does not tempt us with sin - James 1:13. Get a focused-Bible-teaching on various subjects as they may apply to our today's lives. He claimed that he knew all along that Jehovah would not bring calamity on Nineveh, even using that as an excuse for his running away to Tarshish in the first place. For the official Church websites, please visit churchofjesuschrist.org or comeuntochrist.org. Isaiah was called to preach to a derelict people: "Jerusalem is ruined, and . This is an essential characteristic of God. Not to mention I did an Old Testament survey on him as well. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. In what ways might some find themselves disagreeing with God, and what lesson can we learn from Jonahs example? For You cast me into the deep,Into the heart of the seas,And the floods surrounded me;All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. We read: Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.. Would you like to read this article in %%? (b)How may the account about Jonah help us to take an honest look at ourselves? The sign is that a place of death had become a place of deliverance. No; it fulfilled its purpose as a warning. God begins to have mercy upon us while we are still in willful disobedience; and, like Nineveh, characterized by infamous sin and evil. Its easy to be triggered when things dont go the way we plan, but we need to surrender our will to His will. Yes, that. Who of us is immune to such selfish tendencies? i. Jonah knew God heard him before the answer came. Why werent Adam and Eve told to plenish instead of replenish? DLTK's Sunday School Lessons Men of the Old Testament Pt 1: Jonah. So when the Lord told Jonah that Nineveh was wicked and ripe for destruction, it would be easy to see why Jonah would be pleased by this; and why he would be less pleased to be called by the Lord to call the city of Nineveh to repentance. Why arent prophets giving us specific signs to watch for? The people of Nineveh, from the king to the poorest, repented and held a fast. Obedience is the key to receivingGods benefits! What mattered to him were the people. Registered in England and Wales 5090917, Christian Today, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN, Southern Baptists oust Rick Warren's Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor, Evangelical church pursues alternative oversight after CofE same-sex blessing vote, 'Jesus Revolution' leaves out the tough stuff but gets the music right. The fish did not chew him up - it just swallowed him and Jonah was safe inside. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! Jonah is saying in his prayer, that he knows that God will bring Nineveh into that covenantal relationship. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. acquire the The Prodigal Prophet Jonah And The Mystery Of God member that we present here and check out the link. . Jonah sits in the heat of Northern Iraq and is so outdone with Gods grace to his enemy, seething that he has lost a gourd with its leaves to shade him, that he despairs unto death. Short little Melissa style summary and insight: *If you are not familiar with the story of Jonahspend some time reading it. Roger J. Landry Columbia Catholic Ministry, Notre Dame Church, Manhattan Wednesday of the First Week of Lent March 1, 2023 Jonah 3:1-10, Ps 51, Lk 11:29-32 To listen to an audio recording of today's homily, please click below: [coming] The following points were attempted in the homily: We're now one week into [] He is just doing it just for the sake of preaching. Or, are we angry, too? Then all of sudden God decided to come between Jonah and his patriotism. The Lord provided a gourd or plant that protected Jonah. What kind of journey lay ahead of Jonah, and how did he feel about his destination? We must realize we dont see it all, we dont understand it all. During this time Jonah humbled himself to do what the Lord wanted. 19 Once more Jehovah asked Jonah if he was rightly angry, this time over the death of the bottle-gourd plant. Some critics might complain that Jonah never answers. By so doing, the Lord is showing Jonah that his priorities are more then a bit messed up. Jonah was quite content with God's grace and God's love over Israel and over his own life. 9. And he said: I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,and He answered me. Jonah began to rejoice greatly over the plant, perhaps viewing its miraculous appearance as a sign of Gods blessing and approval. What miracle did God perform to teach Jonah a lesson? Tell them that they better start believing in Me and doing the right things I want them to do or else I'm going to send fire down from Heaven to destroy their city and burn them up." But Jonah didn't want to go preach to the people of Nineveh. When thinking about this book as a whole, and what God is trying to teach Jonah, what does this mean for us. The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of Gods Mercy. You can read it here on Bible Gateway: Book of Jonah NIV and Book of Jonah NKJ. I hope these 5 keys have made you hungry to dive more into Gods word. 1) That while our love for others fail, God's compassion knows no ends. Jesus knew what he was talking about, for he had been alive in heaven to witness those events as they unfolded. The word Lord means someone or something having power, authority, or influence; master or ruler. When Jonah adds that to his list of complaints the Lord uses it as a teaching moment. Are we there yet? God have mercy! Hi, welcome to my little piece of cyberspace! Jonah woke to see this luxuriant growth, with its broad leaves providing far more shade than his flimsy shelter ever could. Of course, we know that you and I cant flee from God. Jonah flat out doesnt want to go to Nineveh. This was an occasion to show divine mercy. We read: Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me." Yahweh has given Jonah a job that he needs to accomplish. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!. Its been an amazing journey to take a deeper look at this Old Testament prophet. The mission of God is a guaranteed success because of the sovereignty of God. Jonah later wrote: The true God got to see their works, that they had turned back from their bad way; and so the true God felt regret over the calamity that he had spoken of causing to them; and he did not cause it.Jonah 3:10. The book of Jonah is short and a lot of time we can read through it quickly. . Covenantal-snobbery was, and can still be, a serious problem with Gods people. Did that solve Jonahs attitude? Clearly, Jonah did learn a vital lesson from Jehovahs wise instruction. To learn more visit and subscribe: https://michaelmilton.org/about/. God's Interest in All People 19,20. 7,8. For, Jonah, its an insult to Israel. (see Jonah 3:4) Such a preaching could sound pretty condemning and scary, and it is: it's a message of judgment. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me;All Your billows and your waves passed over me (Jonah 2:1-3 NKJV). It tells us about the role we play in the Body of Christ, the forgiving and merciful attitude that we all should have, and the unimaginable magnitude of Gods mercy and grace not just to His people, but to the entire world. 2. Let us see what we can gather from Jonahs struggle. If you want to learn more about Jonahcheck out Priscilla Shirer Jonah Bible Study. The scripture reported, Through games, drawing their own comic strip, a DIY Big Gulp of Jonah toy, and a Jonah in a Big Fish puppet, kids learn that God is compassionate and gracious. Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm (Jonah 4:2 NKJV). 1,2. My honest opinion of why he did that was in hopes that he could escape from Gods presence. "Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. Jonah's Disobedience Exposed ( 1:7-10) Jonah's Punishment and Deliverance (1:11 -- 2:1; 2:10) His Prayer of Thanksgiving ( 2:2-9) Jonah Reluctantly Fulfills His Mission (chs. Image what some of the Nineveh locals would think and say if they saw Jonah get vomited up out of a fish onto the beach. The Lord caused a big fish to come and swallow Jonah. It may be that Jonah made his proclamation in his native Hebrew and used an interpreter to relate it to the Ninevites. Jonah needed courage and faith to preach in Nineveh. The next day he sent in a worm which destroyed the gourd leaving Jonah open to the elements. Jonah went outsidethe city, hoping to witness its condemnation, but Jesus Christ went outside the city to die on a cross to accomplish its salvation. Whereas if they did not repent, then the Lord would destroy them, and they would no longer be a danger to Israel. This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). Whatever the case, he did not rejoice over the peoples repentance or over Jehovahs mercy. He wants to show His love to everyone. * He humbly acknowledged that his people were guilty of badness and violence. Is it True for Christians That 'Once Saved, Always Saved'? The book of Jonah is remarkable for several reasons. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. He likely had to skirt the vast Syrian Desert, ford such rivers as the mighty Euphrates, and seek shelter among foreigners in the towns and villages of Syria, Mesopotamia, and Assyria. 6 Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. 6 It has been estimated that Samaria, the capital of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel, may have had some 20,000 to 30,000 inhabitants in Jonahs dayless than a fourth of Ninevehs population. Visit the Jonah Bible lesson plan for further ideas to supplement this. The story of Jonah and the Whale, one of the oddest accounts in the Bible, opens with God speaking to Jonah, son of Amittai, commanding him to preach repentance to the city of Nineveh. Prophet Jonah disobeyed God and attempted to escape, but God caught him red-handedly. Imitate Their Faith, Audio download options But what happened, did Jonah obey God with zeal and passion? 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